Battery woes

[Irn-Bru]

This was a thread I didn't want to make, as I hate buying others peoples problems but anyway...

The Hornet has been a bit of a pain since I bought it, I'm a part timer with my bikes and can be a week plus between starting them up, apparently this is too long for the Hornet as the battery keeps dying. I've since removed the Datatool alarm assuming it was the issue and it's happened again. I fully charged it today and tested the amp draw with the ignition off and it's 0.06, according to Google 0.025 - 0.05 is acceptable, but that little bit extra shouldn't kill a battery in 5 days surely? The draw was about 0.55 with the ignition on. Just numbers to me to be honest

I've ordered a new battery anyway. I think it's reasonable to expect about a month out of a battery before it can't start the bike anymore. I could just keep it plugged in every day but that isn't really solving the issue at hand.
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KTM 990 SMT & Suzuki DR-Z 400 SM

[Andy_Pagin]

If you're only riding once a week why not disconnect the battery in between times, so there's no way the bike can be draining it?
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They're coming to take me away, ho-ho, hee-hee, ha-haaa, hey-hey,
the men in white coats are coming to take me away.
Yamaha Vity -> YBR125 -> FZS600 Fazer -> FZ1-S Fazer

[Nobby the Bastard]

I refer you to this.

https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=310651
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Triumph Sprint ST 1050

[Robby]

Perfectly reasonable to expect a month out of a healthy battery.

A fucked (but still appearing to work) battery can have a fraction of the capacity of a healthy one.

[Andy_Pagin]

I think the reliable working life of a motorcycle battery is only about five years?
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They're coming to take me away, ho-ho, hee-hee, ha-haaa, hey-hey,
the men in white coats are coming to take me away.
Yamaha Vity -> YBR125 -> FZS600 Fazer -> FZ1-S Fazer

[Irn-Bru]

Not sure how old this one is tbh, the PO did have a load of accessories hooked up - alarm, heated grips, 12v socket, trickle charger port & also an extra LED brake light. All are now disconnected apart from the brake light. It seems to be shedding about 0.3v per 24 hours without use I have noticed these past few days. New battery has arrived anyway so I need to put that on and see what happens, hoping it's just a case of a tired battery that doesn't like the cold.
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KTM 990 SMT & Suzuki DR-Z 400 SM

[talkToTheHat]

I'm on my second 2002 suzuki that's still on the original battery. The the xv535 killed a new cheap one in 2 winters. It's cold, bateries are no good in the cold.

Check for accessory circuits grafted on by previous owner. I run my accessories off of a relay and additional fusebox. I run my horn relay off the accessories circuit so it's not live anywhere without the ignition being on. All of this helps. I ride most days so it's only in a big freeze do i worry about the battery going flat, so it comes in and goes on the maintenence charger if i remember.
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Bandit. does. everything.

[Irn-Bru]

The woe still exists, even after the new battery.

Only thing that is extra on the loom is extra LED brake lights, but I unplugged them and the idle draw didn't change. There's also the alarm which is still wired up but the fuse has been removed and the immobiliser bypassed. So that shouldn't be an issue. I pulled every fuse one by one and nothing changed either, apart from the main fuse of course which set it to 00.0 as expected.

I could remove the alarm from the loom but since the fuse is gone it shouldn't be doing anything anyway I thought. What else can cause draw? Dodgy connectors? Exposed wire somewhere?
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KTM 990 SMT & Suzuki DR-Z 400 SM

[sickpup]

[Irn-Bru]

Right so did a bit more faffing on, discovered that if I remove the reg/rec from the frame along with an earth wire behind it, the draw drops to 0.0, and strangely (I thought) the bike will still run without that earth attached (note: reg/rec still plugged in). How well it runs I don't know as the tank wasn't on. I also removed the alarm entirely now, that made no difference either.

It's been suggested to me that it could be the reg/rec but I thought when they failed they either fried the battery or didn't charge it? It seems to charge around 14.2 - 14.4v, I haven't really ridden the bike enough to see if it'll kill a battery under it's own power. The ring connector and frame where it attaches had quite a bit of rust on it but cleaning it changed nowt.

(Forgot to check the ignition wiring )
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KTM 990 SMT & Suzuki DR-Z 400 SM

[jaffa90]

A good battery should hold its charge for a warm month,
A good sealed battery in service should read 12.8dc in summer and 12.6dc in cold weather the morning after.
Are you saying there is no leakage when the reg/rec is disconnected?
I`ve tried a battery made in China/ Taiwan and it lasted 14months, took it back to the shop and he refunded 50% with a discount off a YUASA battery made in Japan and good for 5 years.

[Irn-Bru]

No leakage when it's disconnected yeah, or unearthed, as soon as it's screwed back onto the frame (whilst being plugged into the loom) the leakage returns. When it's plugged in, and not connected to the frame the bike seems to work ok and there's no leakage. Strange to me.
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KTM 990 SMT & Suzuki DR-Z 400 SM

[jaffa90]

https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=311566
Read krisso123 replies,
Are you testing your m.A drainage on the earth return side or positive out ?

[Irn-Bru]

The negative terminal on the battery
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KTM 990 SMT & Suzuki DR-Z 400 SM

[jaffa90]

Your 0.06 mA drain is minimal, I suggest a YUASA battery with the correct amp/ hour. A.H.
With a bike charge rate at 14.5v a/c.

[fast wooly]

Its the reg/rectifier,one of the diodes has failed in the rectifier part and is allowing a small current to flow back down to earth,thats why it only happens when you earth the reg/rectifier.Its a fairly common fault i see in the workshop and Honda reg/rec seem to be one of the worst!May be time to upgrade to a mosfet type as they work so much better.


Wooly
www.electro34.co.uk

[Irn-Bru]

I guess it's time to buy a new reg/rec then

The battery is new already Jaffa
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KTM 990 SMT & Suzuki DR-Z 400 SM

[jaffa90]

A new battery does not mean it`s ok, tests as previous posts does.